We live at
a time when technology as vastly outstripped our wisdom. Devices and instant
access can create the most amazing good in society if we understand the human
mind that directs internet communication. To do this, we need to develop more
wisdom in individuals who use the technology. I define wisdom as the ability to
make the right decision in the situation; a combination of mental perspective
and moral judgment.
a time when technology as vastly outstripped our wisdom. Devices and instant
access can create the most amazing good in society if we understand the human
mind that directs internet communication. To do this, we need to develop more
wisdom in individuals who use the technology. I define wisdom as the ability to
make the right decision in the situation; a combination of mental perspective
and moral judgment.
I was lucky
enough to hear Sam Johnson speak a few days ago. He is now referred to as Sam
Johnson (activist) by Wikipedia. His use of Facebook and Twitter to raise an
army of thousands after the earthquake in Christchurch is now legend in New
Zealand and around the world. Gathering a student army, Sam effectively by passed
bureaucracy to deliver help through a channel that also created the ability for
thousands to offer their personal contribution during the crisis. We all want
to be able to contribute; now we can, because we can all be informed and in connected
through technology.
enough to hear Sam Johnson speak a few days ago. He is now referred to as Sam
Johnson (activist) by Wikipedia. His use of Facebook and Twitter to raise an
army of thousands after the earthquake in Christchurch is now legend in New
Zealand and around the world. Gathering a student army, Sam effectively by passed
bureaucracy to deliver help through a channel that also created the ability for
thousands to offer their personal contribution during the crisis. We all want
to be able to contribute; now we can, because we can all be informed and in connected
through technology.
The same is
true for customers. We have been empowered by the internet! I have used the Facebook
pages of two companies to get immediate results. In the past, I would have
struggled to find a person to voice my complaint. When I did find a person or department,
It would take hours to get through (if ever); ‘press one for this press 2 for
that…’sorry to keep you waiting, we do care about your custom’ – yeah right! Now,
I simply go to the appropriate Facebook page and place my comment. In both cases,
I had my complaints resolved within 24 hours. Unreal. But wait – there’s more! In one case I received
a voucher for free product and in the other, they solved another two niggles
that had been annoying us for some time but just weren’t bad enough to complain
about!
true for customers. We have been empowered by the internet! I have used the Facebook
pages of two companies to get immediate results. In the past, I would have
struggled to find a person to voice my complaint. When I did find a person or department,
It would take hours to get through (if ever); ‘press one for this press 2 for
that…’sorry to keep you waiting, we do care about your custom’ – yeah right! Now,
I simply go to the appropriate Facebook page and place my comment. In both cases,
I had my complaints resolved within 24 hours. Unreal. But wait – there’s more! In one case I received
a voucher for free product and in the other, they solved another two niggles
that had been annoying us for some time but just weren’t bad enough to complain
about!
The
internet and social media get results. It seems to me that the huge shift here
is the breakdown of that old ‘divide and rule’ power that a few people have
always had over the rest of us. Imagine if there had been Facebook during
Hitler’s time. Do you think that thousands of ordinary, good people would say
nothing if there was an avenue for them to hear that others were also unsure
about the way things were going? We are released by the knowledge that others
feel and think the way we do – and get courage to act. We are no longer isolated
and without perspective. In modern war, we now see the people using what Sam
calls ‘the tools in our pocket’ to find perspective and justice. People are
still being killed, but is it better that they feel a sense of control over
their own destiny and that others around the world hear real accounts from
ordinary people – rather than political and media ‘washed’ information? Wasn’t
it the direct communication via TV that created the horror we all felt about Vietnam
when we saw pictures of real people suffering. That awareness created the popular
movement that forced the end of that war eventually. TV is slow now by comparison; personal
devices have enabled masses of individuals immediately – in real time.
internet and social media get results. It seems to me that the huge shift here
is the breakdown of that old ‘divide and rule’ power that a few people have
always had over the rest of us. Imagine if there had been Facebook during
Hitler’s time. Do you think that thousands of ordinary, good people would say
nothing if there was an avenue for them to hear that others were also unsure
about the way things were going? We are released by the knowledge that others
feel and think the way we do – and get courage to act. We are no longer isolated
and without perspective. In modern war, we now see the people using what Sam
calls ‘the tools in our pocket’ to find perspective and justice. People are
still being killed, but is it better that they feel a sense of control over
their own destiny and that others around the world hear real accounts from
ordinary people – rather than political and media ‘washed’ information? Wasn’t
it the direct communication via TV that created the horror we all felt about Vietnam
when we saw pictures of real people suffering. That awareness created the popular
movement that forced the end of that war eventually. TV is slow now by comparison; personal
devices have enabled masses of individuals immediately – in real time.
However,
nothing is all good or bad; whatever can be used for good can also be used for
evil; technology has no moral compass. That is our job – to think and to judge
right and wrong. We need to develop our human skills as quickly as our
technical ones and that is difficult. There are many examples that counter my
earlier praise of social media. Young people committing suicide, thousands
turning up at parties and trashing the scene, hotels using Facebook pages and
review sites to damage their competitors’ trade by communicating false
information. Recently, there has been
much debate around security ‘leaks’ around the world and whether this has
benefited democracy or damaged security. I don’t think that the answer will be
black and white. We are in a grey area here.
nothing is all good or bad; whatever can be used for good can also be used for
evil; technology has no moral compass. That is our job – to think and to judge
right and wrong. We need to develop our human skills as quickly as our
technical ones and that is difficult. There are many examples that counter my
earlier praise of social media. Young people committing suicide, thousands
turning up at parties and trashing the scene, hotels using Facebook pages and
review sites to damage their competitors’ trade by communicating false
information. Recently, there has been
much debate around security ‘leaks’ around the world and whether this has
benefited democracy or damaged security. I don’t think that the answer will be
black and white. We are in a grey area here.
What I do know is that we are in a potentially
exciting time when the whole concept of democracy is being reviewed by all of
us who use technology. Information is no longer the tool of a few, but we all
have access. However, it could be an
extremely dangerous time, if we don’t develop our thinking and sense of
morality. We all need to be aware of the
power and responsibility that goes hand in hand with crowd access. Shouldn’t developing
people’s wisdom be as much a priority as technology?
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